Nocturnal in nature, raccoons are most active at night. Unfortunately, the wild animals are very adaptable creatures that can live in a variety of habitats, including your backyard. While they are simply looking for basic creature comforts, the pests can cause a lot of damage to your property during their search and their noisy behavior can become a growing nuisance to your peace-of-mind. Here are some reasons you may be hearing raccoons at night in your backyard.
Behaviors Displayed by Raccoons at Night
Some of the noisy activities raccoons could be up to in your backyard at night include:
- Eating food from garbage cans, bird feeders, or pet food bowls.
- Building a den or nest for their young.
- Drinking from swimming pools or bird baths.
- Searching for frogs, insects, or other small animals.
What Brings Raccoons to Backyards at Night
Raccoons are often attracted to residential backyards because of:
Food
Raccoons are always looking for a quick meal and will eat everything from fruits and nuts to worms and insects. They’ll also try to get to the garbage in your trash can. Therefore, it is crucial to keep your garbage can lids tightly sealed and your lawn free of any fallen fruits or nuts so as not to tempt hungry raccoons to wander into your yard.
Shelter
Whether outside or inside, raccoons, especially females, are always in search of a place to raise their young. This is why it is important to keep your doors and windows closed and locked at night so raccoons cannot enter your home. Also make sure all pet doors are shut and inaccessible to invasive raccoons.
Easy access
Raccoons can easily scale trees and dig under shallow fencing to access your backyard or garden at night. Installing motion-activated sprinklers, bright flood lights, or an electric fence that is only active between dusk and dawn can help keep raccoons from entering your property while you sleep.
Darkness
Raccoons do not enjoy being in the light. Raccoons will flock to a backyard that is dimly lit and contains debris or overgrown vegetation that could provide a comfortably dark nesting spot over a clutter-free yard that has motion-activated lights.
Don’t wait for your raccoon problem to grow out of control. Contact the raccoon removal professionals at Animal Wildlife Trappers to evict noisy raccoons from your backyard.
Reliable Raccoon Removal Professionals in Central Florida
If you are hearing disturbing sounds from raccoons at night, then rely on the raccoon removal experts at Animal Wildlife Trappers to inspect your property, safely remove all raccoons, and prevent them from returning. To schedule an appointment and receive a free estimate for our permanent raccoon removal services, call us today at 352-267-0546.